Standard Stars, 2015 - 2020
"Standard Stars" examines a photographic archive of the Universe and its decay as a result of human error. Drawn from the Astronomical Photographic Data Archive, these images document the history of photographing the sky from the late 1800’s until the end of the 20th century on a now obsolete medium—glass plate negatives. Visually and metaphorically, "Standard Stars" represents the human attempt to study, represent, and organize the Universe. I have engaged with this archive by documenting the decay from the emulsion that has peeled off the glass plates, as well as photographing the campus and surrounding landscape. The accidents and failures of human history are embedded in these images as I examine broken plates, the history of photography, and obsolescence itself. A limited-edition photogravure portfolio is available—check out the maquette flip-through video here, and more information here. For more information on the project, watch this short documentary here.
